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Pakistan Thread

Why Pakistan is failing. Notthing to with Batting or Fielding / Maybe?

I am going to keep this post short and sweet. :)
Pakistan's fielding and batting are not the root cause of what is letting the team down. Yes, the poor fielding is adding 20-30 runs on to the oppositions total, and the top order is collapsing like a house of cards, but Pakistan's bowling attack are the core reason behind Pakistan's woes.
Reason No 1. Pakistan's bowlers Mohammad Irfan and Sohail Khan, have not been able to swing the ball, due to the fact that they are bowling too short. The fact that the opening duo are pitching the ball short in matches, makes it highly likely, almost a damning fact that they are pitching the ball short in net sessions. This means that Pakistan's batsmen are facing these shoddy deliveries in net sessions, and have absolutely no batting practice against the swinging ball, which is why they are having so much difficulty facing the new ball.
Reason No 2. Pakistan's opening duo don't know what they are doing. They are virtually brain dead. They don't have a cricketing brain like Junaid Khan, Amir & Asif. They don't know how to set up the batsmen to edge the ball to slips, trap him by LBW or bowl him out. Everyone's complaining that we are dropping catches, but when has a Pakistan bowling attack ever taken wickets by catches outside the inner circle. If Pakistan's star team of 1999 was fielding, they would have been just as poor as we were against the Windies the other night.
Irfan and S.Khan don't know if they are trying to contain runs or take wickets. After they have bowled a delivery, and they are walking back to their run up starting point, their eyes are wondering left right and centre, and this is a crucial time for the bowler, where he has 5-10 seconds to concentrate on how he is going to deliver the next delivery, make changes to the field, look at the seam of the ball and get himself in motion to bowl. Irfan and Sohail look like they are in a trance.
Solution for bowlers:
Drop Mohammad Irfan as he isn't match fit, nor can he field anywhere. If his fitness improves in the next two weeks bring, him back for the crucial games against South Africa and Ireland. Bring in Ehsan Adil or Rahat Ali, who are hungry to be in the playing XI or should be. Waqar needs to get the pace bowlers to pitch the ball up, and if they do bowl consecutive short balls, get them to follow it up with a yorker (after adjusting the field). Testing out Rahat Ali or Ehsan Adil allows Pakistan to drop Sohail Trundler Khan,against SA and Ireland, if they do perform. Get Wahab Riaz to field at mid off, and give instructions to whoever the opening pair are, Misbah doesn't know what he is doing in the field.
And bring back Yasir Shah, who has excellent body language and did well against India and England in the warm up. This talk about we don't need spinners in these conditions is pathetic..if Hafeez and Ajmal were playing,....they alongside Afridi would bowl their full quota of overs. Wouldn't they!
Batting (Pakistan's batting problem is down to the batting order) Shehzad made 44 against NZ in the 2nd Odi, and 47 vs India. His problem is that he has a brain fart and plays stupid shots and can't rotate the strike. He needs someone at the opposite end of the crease, who he respects and will force him to rotate the strike, and that person is Afridi. Give Afridi a license to smash the ball out the park, and allow Shahzad to make his 45 of 58 balls. Shahzad and Afridi have a bromance going on, ....lets put it to use.
Haris Sohail, Sohaib Maqsood & Misbah ul Haq This kid can bat. But it is wrong to send him in at No.3 and put him under enormous pressure. He needs an experienced batting partner or/and someone that he feels comfortable with. Bring him in at number 4, instead bring Misbah who is in form at number 3. Placing Misbah at 3, allows Captaan Saab to make his 50,60 or 70 odd before the game is lost. Haris at 4 allows him to also bat alongside Sohaib Maqsood, whom he looked good with against the Windies.
Umar Akmal Bring him in at number 6 or at number 5 if Haris gets out before Maqsood gets to the crease. In this scenario, Akmal comes in at 5 and Maqsood at 6. Let Akmal play his natural game. He just needs to be a bit more alert as to where fielders are placed.
Younis Khan I would give him his final chance against Zimbabwe. Bring him in at number 7. Whenever I have seen any good from YK, is him batting in the last 15 overs. He batted at 6 numerous times when we had Inzi and Yousuf in the team. He will bash Zim and UAE. It's now or never for YK.
Wahab Riaz He will make 15/20 odd.
Innings Plan Pakistans batmen need to TukTuk or leave the swinging bowl. They need to dispatch any loose deliveries. Get to 30/0 after 10 overs. Once they have settled in get to to 120/2 after 22 overs. Pakistan will get to the Semi's if they make a solid start.
Pakistans team vs Zimbabwe and UAE
Ahmed Shahzad, Shahid Afridi, Misbah Ul Haq, Haris Sohail, Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood, Younis Khan, (Sarfraz vs UAE if YK doesn't perform) Wahab Riaz, Yasir Shah, Ehsan Adil, Sohail Khan,
 

anil1405

International Captain
The team has just won a crucial game and are gaining momentum at the right time. Back your team FFS. You can probably question him after the WC.

These times call for support and backing from the fans, media and former players.
 

smash84

The Tiger King
obviously people are backing the team, just questioning why the hell wasn't he doing the right things earlier?
 

anil1405

International Captain
As I said these questions can be put up after the WC. Atleast he made the change right in time so lets give him credit for that.
 

smash84

The Tiger King
As I said these questions can be put up after the WC. Atleast he made the change right in time so lets give him credit for that.
more like he was forced to make a change though. That really isn't to his credit. Even today he said that he didn't think Sarfaraz would do well.
 

Agent Nationaux

International Coach
Smali is right. Wasim and Waqar both publicly stated before this match that Sarfraz shouldn't be opening.

Now I don't know why Waqar did not play him, but I hope there is an inquiry afterwards and if it turns out that Waqar wasnt playing Sarfraz due to politics then he should be fired. There should be no place for pathetic politics in the Pak team management.
 
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anil1405

International Captain
No denying that politics has had a negative influence on Pakistan cricket on more occasions than one.

I was just questioning the timing though. WC comes once every four years so let them focus on the task in hand.
 

smash84

The Tiger King
how can you focus on the task at hand when you are not willing to make the best possible selection and refuse to admit your blunders.
 

G.I.Joe

International Coach
Going by the evidence, it would seem that Waqar and Pakistani WC wins in Oceania do not go hand in hand.
 

anil1405

International Captain
how can you focus on the task at hand when you are not willing to make the best possible selection and refuse to admit your blunders.
Now he has made the right selection just when we are reaching the business end of the tournament.
 

anil1405

International Captain
Random thought: Waqar has never been part of the Pakistan team that made it to the semi-final of a WC. If anything he should be motivated to achieve that as a coach.
 

G.I.Joe

International Coach
Random thought: Waqar has never been part of the Pakistan team that made it to the semi-final of a WC. If anything he should be motivated to achieve that as a coach.
India to name Ajay Jadeja as coach if an India-Pak knockout does eventuate.
 

smash84

The Tiger King
Random thought: Waqar has never been part of the Pakistan team that made it to the semi-final of a WC. If anything he should be motivated to achieve that as a coach.
He has been part of the team that propelled Bangladesh to test status. He should be proud of himself.
 

smash84

The Tiger King
Random thought: Waqar has never been part of the Pakistan team that made it to the semi-final of a WC. If anything he should be motivated to achieve that as a coach.
He has been part of the team that propelled Bangladesh to test status. He should be proud of himself.
 

Fusion

Global Moderator
As I said these questions can be put up after the WC. Atleast he made the change right in time so lets give him credit for that.
Pakistan can still be knocked out of the WC if they lose to Ireland and get behind on NRR. It's only speculative, but if Sarfaraz was in the lineup before, perhaps we would've had better batting balance (and slightly better keeping) and maybe won one of the India or WI matches. Not including Sarfaraz (even as just a pure batsman) has been one of the most atrocious selection policies I've ever seen.
 

Agent Nationaux

International Coach
Pakistan can still be knocked out of the WC if they lose to Ireland and get behind on NRR. It's only speculative, but if Sarfaraz was in the lineup before, perhaps we would've had better batting balance (and slightly better keeping) and maybe won one of the India or WI matches. Not including Sarfaraz (even as just a pure batsman) has been one of the most atrocious selection policies I've ever seen.
Although selecting Nasir Jamshed has given us all plenty of laughs. :laugh:
 

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